Tuesday, January 20, 2009

History

When I started this blog a while ago, I promised there would not be much besides pictures of our family, cute stories, even said "nothing political." Today is not about politics but history. Today we will witness history. You would not need to know me long to guess which way I voted last November. But today is not about republican vs democrat, right vs left but the privilege of living in a country where we get to vote for our leaders. The vote may not always go the way we would have liked but we have tremendous freedom in the United States, freedom we take for granted daily. There are many dedicating their lives to defending that freedom while we go about our day rarely considering the sacrifice they make and that of their families.

I have become so frustrated with the negative talk surrounding this election and the process following. I have grieved the fact that many professing Christians have slandered the future president and his family often on "facts" that may or may not even hold a grain of truth.

Words have stuck with me that my Grandmomma has said time and time again (probably most often during the Clinton years but that is a post for another day). She encouraged us to not speak negatively about the president of our country reminding us that he was chosen as our leader and deserved our respect. She came from a different time when the country's leaders were respected and the media did not encourage such negative publicity. I have thought about that many times since she put this into perspective for me. Obama was chosen by the country. Praise God we have the freedom to vote.

I am excited that we will, my kids will be a part of history today. The first African American president. Jacob & Logan will never know any different. They will always remember only a time of equal opportunity. Months ago (before the election) I considered a statement that I had heard. The fact that African American children would now know it was possible that they could achieve anything. I thought, "why couldn't they think that before? Why didn't their parents tell them they could be president?" Then I thought, I have never been in that position. There has never been something in my life that my parents and role models could not encourage me to do because there wasn't someone to look to. I realized my own ignorance. This is quite a day for all Americans and certainly our African American friends and neighbors. I have thought over the last few weeks that it is a shame it took so long. Maybe I am pondering all of this more since we will possibly one day welcome a child to our family that does not have the same color skin that we have and I can not imagine not being able to encourage my child that they could do anything! I think more than that though God has placed on my heart the need to be praying for our country. Believers need to stand out not by their protests of the leader, their negative comments but by the fact that we pray for our country, we show respect where it is due, we stay active in our community and are responsible active citizens and that we display a sense of peace despite the fact that our vote was not the majority. People on each side have placed way too much stock in the next leader. Yes, he is the leader of our country but he will not save our country. There is only One who will save, only One that we can trust, only One that gives us the assurance that despite the poor economy, despite the projected doom of 2009 or perhaps for much longer, HE is in charge.

Let us stand out for the right reason, let us be a city on the hill. (Matt 5:14-16)

Now, I will climb down off of my soapbox. I will probably never post anything along these lines again....but no promises that the soapbox won't be approached again, just not about this subject!

2 comments:

I'm glad you climbed on your soap box. You have captured how I feel about today's events. I too am grieved when believers are negative or fear this man who will be our President. Thanks for sharing your viewpoint.